2014 Kia Optima Check Engine Light

Will the check engine light reset itself?

The check engine light on your 2014 Kia Optima will usually shut itself off if the issue or code that caused it to turn on is fixed. For example, if the cause of your check engine light coming on was a loose gas cap, if it's tightened, the light will turn itself off. Likewise, if your catalytic converter is going practical, and you did a lot of stop-and-go driving, that may have turned on the check engine light due to the high usage of the converter. In most cases, your 2014 Kia Optima light will go off after about 20-40 miles. If you drive over that fee and the light is still on, you will need to bring it in to Nalley Kia so the light and code can be double-checked and reset.

What Does the Check Engine Light Mean?

One of the most consistently misunderstood lights or indicators in your 2014 Kia Optima is the check engine light. The check engine light is part of the onboard diagnostics system, and displays in various disparate ways. It can say "Check Engine", it can be a symbol of an engine, it can even be a combination of both. This light illuminates in either an amber or red color and is part of the diagnostics system found on your vehicle. Onboard computers increasingly have controlled and monitored vehicle performance since the 80s and do a variety of things for your 2014 Kia Optima. Some of these include shifting automatic transmissions controlling engine speed, ignition timing, and implementing stability control, just to name a few. With that being said, the check engine light can determine a variety of different things. It can be as uncomplicated as your gas cap being loose or as hazardous as engine knocking. If your check engine light is on in your 2014 Kia Optima, contact Nalley Kia. Our Kia service department can help you find out what code is turning your check engine light on or observe why your check engine light is twinkling. Contact Nalley Kia today!

Is it safe to drive your 2014 Kia Optima with the check engine light on?

This question is not very easy because it all depends on the severity of the issue. If the cause is a minor issue, such as a loose gas cap, it should be reliable to travel to work. This is often indicated by a steady glow of the check engine light. If you notice a difference in the performance of the vehicle, it could be an indication of a more competent problem. If the check engine light is shining, this means that there is a competent issue and it is recommended to service your Kia Optima hastily. Call the veterans at Nalley Kia by dialing 7702885283 so you can describe the issues. Or reduce your speed and bring your 2014 Kia to our certified technicians as soon as practical.

2014 Kia Optima Check Engine Light Flashing

Although there are countless achievable causes of an illuminated Check Engine Light, we know from years of providing Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that there are various logical causes including something as prevailing as a loose gas cap. Substitute logical reasons for a Check Engine Light are faulty emissions control part, a malfunction with the fuel injection system, dirty mass airflow sensor, faulty head gasket, damaged oxygen sensor, or defective spark plugs to name a lot. No matter what is the root cause of the Check Engine Light, we have the Kia Certified Technicians and the certified service protocol to isolate the root problem and repair it as basic to restore factory specifications. When this happens, the Check Engine Light turns off, and you can leave the service center knowing that your Kia issue was fixed.

Every 2014 Kia Optima was designed with a high-technology performance monitoring system with a computer, and a series of sensors positioned strategically throughout the vehicle on its critical systems. The sensors are continuously detecting conditions while sending data to the mechanical control unit. If the mechanical control unit detects that the data is out of factory specifications, the Check Engine Light illuminates telling you that there is a problem. However, that is the limitation of the Check Engine Light – it won’t tell you what explicitly is amiss nor what to do about it. That’s where we come in; Nalley Kia provides a Check Engine Light Diagnosis Service that isolates the core problem and gives you a recommendation on what to do next from a Very Qualified Service professional.

What could cause the check engine light to come on in a 2014 Kia Optima?

When your check engine light comes on, this could be as evident as tightening or replacing your gas cap. Likewise, the check engine light could also be a warning of a serious problem that could cause serious damage to your engine and come with a dominant repair bill. Depending on your make and model, the check engine light will illuminate or blink. A dependable glow generally means something less serious but a glaring check engine light implies that your vehicle’s engine is in serious trouble and service is essential shortly. If your check engine light is glaring in your 2014 Kia Optima, we exceptionally advocate not to drive the automobile and schedule Kia service today. Below is a list of the most common reasons your check engine light can come on:

• Your 2014 Kia Optima has a vacuum leak. Every Kia Optima has a vacuum system that performs a expansive assortment of functions. The vacuum system also helps lower harmful emissions by routing the fumes as gasoline evaporates through the engine. If you notice that your RPM is high in idle or randomly surges, a vacuum leak could be the cause. Over time, vacuum hoses can parched out and crack, especially if they’re exposed to profound heat or extreme bleak.
• New Spark Plugs or Plug Wires are imperative for your 2014 Kia Optima. The spark plugs are the part of your engine that ignites the air/fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of your vehicle. This explosion is what moves the pistons and makes the engine run. The spark plug wires deliver the spark from the ignition coil to the spark plugs. If your spark plugs or spark plug wires are bad or common, you will experience poor performance and reduced power. In some extreme cases, your engine will have trouble starting or continuing to run. Worn spark plugs and plug wires can cause clogged catalytic converter or damage to ignition coils and O2 sensors, big to more costly repairs.
• Your O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor) needs to be replaced. The Oxygen sensor, aware as the O2 sensor, measures the fee of oxygen in your exhaust system. If there is excess oxygen in your exhaust system, fuel burns faster and your vehicle will be less available when it comes to fuel economy. So what happens if I don’t replace your O2 sensor? A faulty sensor can not only affect your miles per gallon, but it can cause damage to your catalytic converter and your 2014 Kia Optima's spark plugs. The O2 sensor sends data to the vehicle’s onboard computer to pick the right mixture of air and fuel that enters the cylinders in your engine. A bad O2 sensor can also cause a vehicle to fail an emissions test.
• One of the most commonplace and copious cause is that your 2014 Kia Optima gas cap is loose, damaged or missing. The gas cap for your 2014 Kia Optima serves multiple purposes. It prevents gas fumes from being released when you aren't driving, it seals the fuel system and helps maintain pressure within the fuel tank. What happens if you have a bad fuel cap? If your gas cap is common or has a ruptured seal, you can lose fuel through evaporation which will result in more trips to the pump. Luckily, to replace a gas cap isn't costly. If your check engine light turns on expeditiously after you put gas in your 2014 Kia Optima, first thing you should check is to make sure the cap isn’t loose — or that it's still on your car’s roof or at the fuel pump.
• The battery is low or dead. The battery in your 2014 Kia Optima is every curious. Without a vehicle battery, your vehicle won’t start, light up the road ahead, play the radio or charge your phone. Today’s vehicle batteries last much longer than they did various decades ago, and they don't really require maintenance. The price of a new one depends on the type of Kia you drive, but check our current service coupons and specials.
• Your mass airflow sensor (known as MAF) needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor in your Kia Optima is what determines how much fuel is imperative to run your engine efficiently by measuring the fee of air entering the engine. As a part of the engine management system, the mass airflow sensor helps adjust to essential changes, like altitude. If your Kia Optima is having trouble starting, idling rough or has a abrupt change in the position of the throttle pedal, this could be a sign of a bad mass airflow sensor.
• Your catalytic converter is bad or going bad. The catalytic converter is a part of your 2014 Kia Optima’s exhaust system. The catalytic converter's function is to turn the carbon monoxide created by the combustion process into carbon dioxide. A damaged catalytic converter is usually caused by neglected maintenance, which is why Nalley Kia offers a complimentary multi-point inspection with every Kia service. If you have an issue with your catalytic converter and don't get it repaired, your 2014 Kia Optima will not pass an emissions test, show a lack of engine performance and will negatively affect your fuel economy. Your vehicle may run at a higher temperature, too, which can cause supplemental problems from overheating.
• Issues with any aftermarket items. An aftermarket alarm, exhaust or supplemental item can wreak havoc on your 2014 Kia Optima if it’s not installed properly. These aftermarket parts and accessories can deposit the battery, trigger the check engine light, or even prevent the vehicle from starting. If these issues sound aware, bring your Optima to Kia and have our unit of certified mechanics ensure that your aftermarket items were installed properly and aren't causing any issue. Getting accessories, especially aftermarket parts and accessories, or using OEM parts first place might value a little bit more but could save you money from having to get poor work and damage caused by poor installation work corrected.

2014 Kia Optima Check Engine Light Codes

The check engine light turning on can be quite intimidating to see that miniature light on your vehicle’s dashboard suddenly flashes, but in reality, it is not something that should cause you to shut down in fear right away. If you hear the term, diagnostic trouble codes (DTC), these are just another name for check engine light codes. These are automotive computer codes stored by the ECM, also known as the OBD (on-board computer diagnostic system) in your Optima. There are hundreds of contrasting codes that your check engine light can mean. While that sounds daunting, with a miniature patience, tackling crucial diagnostics will give you available knowledge about your vehicle and will also allow that Check Engine Light to do what it is really supposed to do: be your guide. Unfortunately, specific and beneficial vehicle symptoms do not always accompany an illuminated Check Engine Light. Since there are hundreds of probable OBD codes, there are also hundreds of probable reasons for the light, including:

• Ignition system faults
• Loose Gas Cap or Missing Gas Cap
• Emissions controls issues
• Computer output circuit issues
• Fuel and air metering systems problems
• Old Battery
• O2 Sensor
• Bad Spark Plugs
• Transmission issues

This is why it is critical for someone who does not have a lot of automotive knowledge to not assume what a code means. When your check engine light comes on, you should get it checked out quickly by a certified Kia mechanic. If the engine light comes on due to a unhealthy concern, you risk aggressive your car added by not repairing the issue right away. Call Nalley Kia at 7702885283 at this moment or schedule your check engine light service online today!

How much does it cost to get the engine light checked?

The check engine light warns of issues ranging from a gas cap that's not accordingly tightened to a more serious failure like a bad catalytic converter or a problem with one of the car's oxygen sensors, so it adequate to get the marvelous code reading and diagnosis. The middle cost for a check engine light diagnosis & testing is typically between $88 and $111. The adequate news, Nalley Kia offers complimentary multi-point inspections and free diagnostics, in most cases, to help indicate the cause of your check engine light.

How many miles can you drive with the check engine light?

If you check engine light is flashing, we recommend that you pull over and contact Nalley Kia to help designate if your automobile is safe to drive in or if we recommend a tow truck. The safest bet is to decipher the code and then plan your strategy accordingly. It could be anything from a destructive sensor to plug wires needing to be replaced. Since each check engine code has its own level of severity, it is difficult to predict how copious miles you can drive with the warning light on.

2014 Kia Optima Check Engine Light

If the check engine light in your 2014 Kia Optima starts flashing, that means that the problem needs prompt attention and your Kia should be brought in hastily. A flashing light implies that the problem is hazardous and if not taken care of hastily may result in extensive damage to the vehicle. This blinking light frequently indicates a rigid engine misfire allowing unburned fuel to be dumped into the exhaust system. There it can promptly increase the temperature of the catalytic converter to a point where damage is probable, requiring an pricey repair. Some owners ask if spark plugs cause the check engine light to flash? This can explicitly be the cause. A damaging, aged or dirty spark plug can cause the engine to misfire. If your check engine light is flashing, please contact our team of automotive advisors at Nalley Kia instantly by calling 7702885283. If the problem is ignored or you continue to drive, this can spread to the spark plug wires, catalytic converter, or ignition coils which can lead to a very expensive repair.

Check Engine Light Service 2014 Kia Optima

What do you do when you’re driving along in your Kia Optima and suddenly, a yellow light flashes on your dash and says "Check Engine". If you’re like most Kia owners, your heart sinks a small because you have small idea about what that light is trying to tell you or how you should react. The fear of the unknown (or the cost of the unknown) can be just as stressful. But take a deep breath and realize the light coming on doesn’t mean you have to pull the car over to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but it is recommended that you get your 2014 Kia Optima checked as soon as possible. Ignoring that warning could end up causing enormous break to expensive engine components.

When your 2014 Kia Optima's ECM (electronic control module), which is the vehicle's onboard computer, finds a problem in the electronic control system that it can’t honorable, a computer turns on your check engine light. This amber or yellow light is constantly labeled “check engine” or “service engine soon”, or the light may be nothing more than a picture of an engine, or a picture of the engine with the word “check.”

When the light turns on, the ECM stores an engine code or “trouble code” in its memory that identifies as the issue, whether it's a sensor or a failing engine part. This code is read with an electronic scan tool that is used by our Kia auto repair mechanics at Nalley Kia. There are also a number of rather low-cost code readers that are designed for do-it-yourselfers, should you choose that route too. While this code will tell you the issue that is detected, a true diagnosis still requires an professional professional to illustrate the issue and repair it.